Tampa Tribune’s Tom McEwen Wins Sports Journalism Award

Tom McEwen, longtime sports editor and sports columnist of the Tampa Tribune, won the 13th Red Smith Award on Friday. The award is presented annually by the Associated Press Sports Editors for outstanding contributions to sports journalism.

In his acceptance speech at the APSE’s 20th annual convention, McEwen, 70, told stories of sports celebrities he had dealt with, and indicated that one of the more colorful was John McKay, former USC coach and the first coach of the longtime losing Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I remember asking McKay one Sunday about what he thought of his team’s execution,” McEwen said. “McKay commented that he thought that would be a fine idea.”

McEwen campaigned long and hard over the years for new stadiums and new teams in the Tampa Bay area, and Jim Murray of The Times, McEwen’s presenter and himself a former Red Smith Award winner, took note of that when describing McEwen’s military service in the Philippines.

“If he’d stayed much longer,” Murray said, “they’d have had an NFL franchise in Manila.”